The growing applications of fluorine in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and materials has stimulated interest in fluorination methodologies. Because alkenes can sometimes be important functionalities, finding a broadly applicable alkene hydrofluorination protocol can help in the preparation of fluorinated compounds. Several hydrofluorination protocols have been developed, but they have several deficiencies, such as, one or more of: limited to certain alkenes, harsh reaction conditions, use of environmentally undesirable atoms or compounds, required reductants, required expensive electrophilic fluorination reagents, required metal catalysts, use of strong reductants, or use of strong oxidants.
Certain embodiments of the invention address one or more of the deficiencies described above. Some embodiments of the invention include inventive catalysts (e.g., compounds of Formula (I) or (Ia)). Other embodiments include compositions comprising the inventive catalysts. Some embodiments include methods of using the inventive catalysts (e.g., in hydrofluorination of an organic compound). Further embodiments include methods for making the inventive catalysts. Additional embodiments of the invention are also discussed herein.